Glass door



G. L. WEST Jan. 26, 1954 GLASS DOOR Filed 001;. 16, 1951 3 Sheets Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

GEORGE L. WEST ATTORNEY Filed Oct. 16, 1951 Jan. 26, 1954 s. 1.. WEST GLASS DOOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l, N R m kn IN VEN TOR.

' GEORGE L. WEST BY M W ATTORNEY Jan. 26, 1954 G. L. WEST 2,667,244

GLASS DOOR Filed Oct. 16, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. l3

INVEN TOR.

GEORGE L. WEST ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GLASS DOOR George L. West, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, Allegheny County, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 16, 1951, Serial No. 251.543

14 Claims.

This invention pertains in general to glass door construction of the type comprised largely of a single glass panel and more specifically to doors of this character in which the glass panel serves as a structural member of the door.

An object of the invention is to provide a door consisting chiefly of a single glass panel without the use of the rigid mounting frame heretofore employed in doors of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door of the character described and having the general appearance of the usual frameless construction employed in glass doors formed of tempered glass.

A further object of the invention is to provide a door of the character described in which the glass panel forming the major portion of the door is strengthened by imposing compression stresses therein through the use of relatively light adjustable side members so that the glass serves as an integral part of the load support for the door.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application Serial No. 697,001, filed September 14, 1946, for Glass Doors, now abandoned.

In the drawings forming part of the disclosure Fig. 1 is a conventional showing of the assembled door; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of a corner of the door illustrating the adjustable connection between the glass and metal members; Fig. 3 is a section taken along lines 33 of Fig. 2 showing in enlarged detail the door top member, the glass and the adjustable connection; Fig. 4 shows in enlarged detail an end portion of the glass edge protective member; Fig. 5 shows in enlarged detail the corner construction of a modified form of the invention; Fig. 6 shows an enlarged end elevation of the door of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 shows in enlarged detail one end of the modified edge protective member of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 shows in enlarged detail a cross section of both forms of edge protective member and the glass panel; Fig. 9 shows in enlarged detail one form of hinge mounting for the door constructed as in Fig. 5; Fig. 10 is a cross section taken on line Illl0 of Fig. 9 showing further details of the hinge construction and method of mounting upon the top door member; Fig. 11 shows a section through the door top member and glass taken along lines H-Il of Fig. 9. Figs. 12 and 13 show an alternate form of connection between the door top and edge members.

The door structure of the invention includes the glass panel I which is preferably of inch or greater thickness and is preferably of nonedges of the glass panel I.

tempered glass. Extending transversely of the top and bottom edges of the glass panel I are the preferably channel shaped metal members 2 which project beyond the vertical edges of the glass for a purpose hereinafter set forth. As illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, one form of the metal member 2 comprises upwardly extending spaced flanges 4 connected by a Web 5 from which depend spaced flanges 6 giving the effect of a double channel member having oppositely extending flanges 4 and 6 having a common web member 5. Flanges 4 and web 5 provide for attachment and concealment of any of the well known forms of door mounting hinges which form' no part of the present invention. The flanges 6 overlap the glass panel I and the space between the arm 6 and the glass may be sealed with any suitable material I, such as well known plastic calking compounds or a material known to the trade as Roses metal, an alloy of bismuth, lead, tin and cadmium. As best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings the metal members 2 extend beyond the vertical edges of the glass panel I and the depending legs 6 of member 2 are notched along lines 8 to expose the vertical Th vertical edges II of the glass are preferably enclosed by substantially channel-shaped protective members 9, as best shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. Where necessary a light coating of a suitable mastic compound may be used to seal the joint between the overlapping arms of the member 9 and the faces of the glass panel I. The protective members 9 need not have bearing upon the edge portions H of the glass panel and no mastic compound need be disposed between each edge ll of the glass panel and the web of the member 9. As illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings the notches 8 in the top and bottom members 2, will position the members 9 by making unnecessary the accurate machining of the vertical edges of the glass panel.

The members 9 at the vertical edges of the glass panel I serve a dual purpose. One purpose is to provide protection for the vertical edges of the glass panel, preventing them from becoming chipped by being struck with a hard object during use of the door. The second purpose is to provide adjustable connections between the top and bottom members 2, for the purpose of imposing compression stresses upon the glass panel I, thereby strengthening the panel I so as to better serve as a structural member of the door con struction. The members 9, therefore, need only be of sufficient width to overlap the faces of the .dOOr panel I and to provide for the mounting of of the door structure.

26 overlying the faces of the glass panel 27.

a suitable adjustable connection between the members 9 and the door members 2. As shown in Fig. 4, each end of the member 9 is closed by a suitable member I2 which is held in place by any suitable means such as welding at I3. Rigidly mounted in the members [2 and extending upwardly therefrom are threaded members It.

When assembling the door, the members v2 are disposed across the prepared horizontal edges of the glass panel and the member I 5 are inserted through suitable apertures l5 in the web 5 of the members 2 where they are held in place by the nuts l5. assembled relation and toensure imposing *compression stresses from the top and bottom'members 2 upon the glass panel I, the ends of members 2. When the nuts l6 are turned so .as to In order to secure the door in.

bring the members 2 into full bearing across the top edges of the door panel l, the relatively light members 9 arefurther strengthened by being maintained in'tension between the members '2 For purposes of appearance however the spacing between the ends of the members 9 and the adjacent members}! is held to a minimum. In order to avoid interference between the closure members l2 of members 9 and the glass panel, the adjacent corners of glass panel I are notched as shown by reference character ii.

best illustrated in Figs. 9 and 11 of the drawings, the webs of the top and bottom members are disposed in spaced relation to the adjacentedges of the glass .panel .21 and suitable resilient member I5, such as leaf springs 28, are disposed between the edge of. the glass and the web 25. It is to be understood that these resilient member 28 are disposed transversely of the door panel and of suificient numbers to impose substantially uniform compressive stresses upon the glass 2? as hereinafter set forth. As indicated in .Fig. 11 of the drawings, it is customary to use a suitable mastic compound as a seal between the face of the glass and the inner faces of the legs 26 of the top and bottom members. Such a seal must provide .for relative vertical movement between the top and bottom members and the glass.

As best shown in Figs. .9 and 10, the hinge means, for the assembled door, are secured to i the member 251 fastened to one leg 26 of the top and bottom door member by means of countersunk head pins 30 and extending across the vertical edge of the door to a pivotal connection 3! with the butt member 3.2 having suitable apertures 33 therein for fastening to the door jamb.

The specific form of the hinge forms no part of the present invention but is illustrative of the manner of mounting the door so that the glass panel 2? forms one of the structural members {if the door.

as shown Fig. '5 of the drawings.

A in the previously described form of door construction, the top and bottom door members extend continuously across the top of the door and beyond the vertical side edges of the glass panel 21. The vertical panel edge protection members 9a, as in the previous construction, are adjustably connected with the top and bottom door members but with a different form of adjustable connection. As illustrated in Fig. '7 of the drawings, the ends of each member 9a are again closed with a suitable member 12a. and fastened in the member 9a by any suitable means such as the welding I3. In the present form of construction however, each member He; has a suitable threaded aperture therein for reception of a countersunk head machine screw 34 such The web 25 of the top and bottom members is suitably apertured to receive the machine screw 34.

In assembling the door, shown in Figs. 5 to 11 inclusive, the top and bottom members along with the resilient members 28 are inserted over the ends of the glass panel 21. The machine screws 3% are inserted through the apertures in the webs 25 or both top and bottornmembers and engaged in the apertures of the members 12a of the side protection members to which are disposed on the vertical edges of the glass panel 27 between the top and bottom members. As the machine screws E l are rotated in engagement with the threaded apertures of the members l2a the top and bottom members of the door are drawn inwardly of the panel 2'! and. imposed compressive stresses on the panel. As in the previously described construction, the side protection member 9a are of sufficient length that the panel 27 can be stressed and the inward movement of the top and bottom members adjusted to secure substantial abutment between the top and bottom members and the ends of the protective members, while still retaining the protective members 9a in tension. This adjustment :of the top and bottom members also permits ready lining up of the hinge members 29 The protective member 90. a in the previous example need not and preferably do not engage the vertical edges of the glass panel 2? hereby making unnecessary exact machining of the vertical edges of the glass as previously set forth. The four corners of the glass panel 21 are notched, as at 35, to provide clearance for the closure members l2 and the machine screw 34 at each corner of the door.

The end construction of member 9a when assembled in the door structure of Fig. 5 provides an economical and satisfactory form of connection in all cases when member 9a is of sufiicient width to permit mounting, between the flanges thereof, a member 12a large enough to receive the threaded aperture to be engaged by screw 34. However, one object of the invention is to reduce the size of members 9a, to a minimum, and therefore accurate notching of the glass panel at 35 (Fig. 5) is necessary to secure overlapping of the flanges of member 9a and the glass panel at the connection between member Qa-and top member flanges 26. An alternate method of obtaining this result is illustrated in Fig. 12 wherein the webof member 92) is extended above member 12a and between flanges 26 of the transverse door member. The extension of the web of member 9b serves as a closure between the flanges 26 at the :notch 35a of glass panel 21. The notched portion of the panel adequately clears member 12a and is wholly enclosed between the flanges 26 so as not to be visible to an observer.

From the foregoing description, it will be ap parent that both forms of door construction have the hinge members mounted upon the top and bottom door members and these top and bottom members impose compressive stresses upon the glass panel by reason of the side protective members 9 being maintained in tension between the top and bottom members. By this construction, advantage is taken of the well known phenomena that glass is strongest in compression. Hence by so stressing the glass, it can be used as a structural member of the complete door thereby avoiding the necessity for a strong, rigid and 'expensive frame within which the glass panel is merely supported. By reason of this type of construction the edge protective members 9 can be made relatively small with a very limited overlapping of the vertical faces of the glass thereby giving the appearance of, or approaching the appearance of, tempered glass doors which do not require an enclosing frame.

The glass panels of the door constructions shown in both Figs. 2 and 5, may be made from to inches or more in thickness to give a more pleasing appearance from the usual glass door enclosed in a massive supporting frame and yet require but little machining and processing compared to the more expensive tempered glass doors upon which all machine work must be exactly performed prior to the tempering process, and as is well known the complete avoidance of even the finest scratches or abrasions on the face of the glass which become incipient sources of fracture of the glass panel after the tempering I1 operation.

Both door constructions disclosed, and particularly that shown in Fig. 8, provide for suitable adjustment in the hinges when mounting the door as previously set forth. Likewise the glass panel is rigidly held so as to form a part of the structural strength of the door without providing an expensive tight fitting and closely machined full enclosing frame for the panel. Due to the adjustable connection between the side and the top metal members of the door, the joint between the top and bottom members and the protective members 9 can be brought into relatively close fitting relation without expensive machining.

Doors of this character are frequently provided with locking mechanisms and door knobs or handles. These locks are usually mounted upon the door as a unit at the side of the glass panel opposite from the hinges. construction of these locking mechanisms form no part of my invention and therefore have not been illustrated. These mechanisms, however, when mounted upon the panel will intercept at least one of the edge protective members 9 or 9a. It is believed obvious, that the intercepted member can be cut in two by removing a section large enough to receive the door mechanism and thereafter the two remaining portions of member 9 can be welded to the mechanism. In this manner, the altered member 9 can again function as a tension member between the top and bottom transverse door members.

The several forms of my invention as shown,

are for purposes of illustration and not limitation except as made necessary by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a door construction, in combination, a glass panel forming a structural member of the The particular 4 6 door, top and bottom transverse-door members resiliently fitted to the glass panel, rigid members enclosing the vertical edges of the glass panel, and adjustable connections between the ends of the rigid members and the adjacent transverse door members for retaining the glass panel in compression between the transverse members.

2. In a door construction, in combination, a glass panel forming a structural member of the door, top and bottom transverse hinge receiving members resiliently fitted to edges of the glass panel, rigid members enclosing the vertical edges of the glass panel, and adjustable connections between the ends of the rigid members and the adjacent transverse door members for retaining the glass panel in compression between the transverse members.

3. In a door construction, in combination, a glass panel, rigid metal members embracing the top and bottom edges and adjacent faces of the glass panel, each of the metal members extending continuously across the corresponding edge of the glass panel and projecting beyond the adjacent vertical edges of the glass panel, rigid metal members enclosing the vertical edges of the glass metal panel between the projections of the top and bottom members, and an adjustable connection between at least one end of each member at the vertical edges of the glass panel and the adjacent members at the top and bottom of the glass panel for retaining the glass panel and top and bottom members in assembled relation with the glass panel in compression between only the top and bottom members.

4. Door construction as in claim 3, in which the adjustable connection between each of the means at the vertical side edges of the panel and the top and bottom members, includes a screw threaded member for imposing vertical compression stresses within the glass panel.

5. In a door construction, in combination, a glass panel forming a structural member of the door, a rigid continuous metal member enclosing the top transverse edge of the panel and projecting beyond both side edges thereof, a rigid continuous metal member enclosing the bottom transverse edge of the panel and projecting beyond both side edges thereof, resilient means disposed between one of said metal members and the adjacent transverse edge of the panel, and means at each vertical side edge of the panel having adjustable connections with the projecting end portions of the top and bottom members for holding the panel and members in assembled relation, each said means at the vertical sides of edge of the panel being maintained in tension between the top and bottom members.

6. Door construction as in claim 5, in which the resilient means comprises leaf springs.

7. Door construction as in claim 5, in which the adjustable connection between each of the means at the vertical side edges of the panel and the top and bottom members, includes a screw threaded member for imposing vertical compression stresses within the glass panel.

8. In a glass door construction, the combina tion of, a glass panel of substantial thickness, top and bottom opposing channel shaped metallic members embracing the glass panel for hingedly mounting the door and extending continuously across the ends of the glass panel, metallic protective members enclosing the edge portions of the glass panel between the top and bottom members, an adjustable connection between SQSZQ each end of each protective member and the ladof the glass panel at the top and bottom of the door, each top and bottom member-extending continuously across the glass panel and beyond the vertical side edges thereof, metallic protective members enclosing the vertical edges of the glass panel between the projecting portions of the top and bottom members, each protective member being of less length than the vertical length of glass exposed between the projecting portions of the top and bottom members after i being assembled upon the glass'p'anel, and .ad-

justable connections between adjacent ends of the protective members and the respective top and bottom members for imposing vertical compressive stresses upon the glass panel and tension stresses in the protective members when the door is in complete assembled relation. 7

10. Door construction as in claim 9, in which the adjustable connections between the adjacent ends of the protective members and the respective top and bottom members include a screw threaded member passing through an aperture in the respective top and bottom members.

11. In a glass door, a glass panel having a pair of opposed end edges and a pair of opposed side edges, an end channel member including Spaced flange portions and an interconnecting web portion mounted on each end edge of said panel, said web portions being positioned parallel to the adjacent end edge of said panel, each of said web portions being provided with an opening therethrough at each end thereof adjacent a side edge of said panel, a side channel member including interconnected spaced flange portions mounted on each side edge of said panel whereby -a narrow portion of said panel adjacent each of said end and side edges is positioned between the spaced flange portions of each of said end and side channel members, a rod member secured to each end of said side channel member and projecting outwardly therefrom and through the adjacent opening in said end channel web portion, means attached to the portion of each rod member extending through the opening in said end channel web portion for reinforcing each end of said side channel member toward the end channel member adjacent thereto whereby said end channel members are forced against the end edges of said panel to exert a compressive force thereon and each of said side channel members is placed under tension.

12. .In a door construction, in combination, a glass panel of substantial thickness forming a main structural member of the door, top and bottom transverse door members enclosing the top and bottom portions of the glass panel, each transverse door member extending beyond the adjacent vertical side edges of the glass'panel, means at each side of the glass panel providing a readily adjustable tensioned connecting member between the adjacent top and bottom transverse door member extensions thereby maintaining the glass panel in compression between the top and bottom door members.

13. In a door construction, in combination, a glass panel of substantial thickness forming a main structural member of the door, top and bottom transverse door members enclosing the top and bottom portions of the glass panel, each transverse door member extending beyond the adjacent vertical side edges of the glass panel, means at each side of the glass panel providing a readily adjustable tensioned connecting member between the adjacent top and bottom transverse door member extensions thereby maintain ing the glass panel in compression between the top and bottom door members, and door hinge members mounted at one end of the top and bottom members.

14. A door construction as inclaim 13 in which resilient members are disposed between at least one of the top or bottom members and the glass to provide adjustable vertical spacing of the hinge members.

GEORGE L. WEST.

References :Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 921,743 Rudolph et 'al. May 18, 1909 2,023,604 Lovejoy, Jr. Dec. 10, 1935 2,047,086 Stephens July '7, 1936 2,152,584 'Cranshaw Mar. 28, 1939 2,419,648 Koontz Apr. 29, 1947 2,538,138 Webster Jan. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 298,230 Italy July 1, 1932 

